Improvement in gages for cutting index-tabs



M. N. LOVELL.

GAGE FOR CUTTING INDEX TABS. Fin-170,959. "Patented Dec. 14,1875.

\X/I IJEEEEE I NT K NFEFERS, FNOTO-UTKOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MELVIN N. LOVELL, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN GAGES FOR CUTTING INDEX-TABS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 170,959, dated December 14, 1875; application filed June 12, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MELVIN N. LOVELL, of Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improved Device for Cutting Index-Tabs in Books,.of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists in providing a tool for book-binders use for cutting index-tabs on margins of books.

The device is shown in the accompanying drawing by one figure, which is a plan view of the same.

The device is a sheet of thin metal, orother hard substance, with one edge slotted at regular intervals, or spaces forming strips or teeth corresponding with the spaces each lot ter is to occupy in the index.

In the drawing the slots are designated by the letters 0 0 and the teeth by the letters an. The ends of the strips or teeth are cut beveling, or at an angle, so that the lower edge of each strip or tooth projects beyond the upper edge of the next 011e, as shown at a a a. The letters of the alphabet (or numerals, when numerals are used) may be stamped upon the right of the spaces or teeth, showing which letter or figure each space or tooth is intended to represent. I

The letters may be grouped together in lots of two, three, or four by space-lines when desired, for the purpose of enabling the operator to place as many letters on apage at a glance.

The operation of using my device is as follows: The leaves of the book to be indexed are placed in the slots by commencing at the top with the first letteror figure. Ifitis desired to have more than oneleaf fol-each letter or figure, then as many leaves as are desired are placed in each slot. If it is desired to have more tom of the same, by the use of a straightedge and knife, the same as when the old mode of cutting tabs is used, cutting through that portion of the leaves that are on top of the de-' vice. The strips or cuttings thus made are removed by turning them up and tearing them off against the edges of the strips or teeth of the device, they acting as a paper-cutter.

This device may be made of one piece of metal, as herein shown, or of a series of pieces placed so as to lap one upon the other, each piece representing a strip or tooth, and fastened together, except at the side where the slots are, thus forming the spaces or teeth substantially the same as I have shown.

This device may be varied in size, according to the size of the book to be cut, or the size of the tabs-that is, I make various sizes to suit the wants of the user.

What I claim is as follows:

The device for cutting index-tabs, consisting of a sheet of thin metal notched at the edge, and having a slit extending inward from each notch, substantially as shown and described.

MELVIN N. LOVELL. 

